Guide rail having similarly sized ribs and shoulder

Abstract

A guide rail may comprise a pair of ribs and a shoulder projecting outwardly therefrom, the shoulder terminating in a tip section, the pair of ribs being positioned in substantially parallel, spaced-apart relation so that a channel is defined between the ribs and so that the shoulder is positioned adjacent one of the ribs. Each rib has a substantially identical height and thickness. The channel has a width about equal to the thickness of the ribs and a depth about equal to the height of the ribs. The shoulder has a height about equal to the height of the ribs and a thickness about equal to the thickness of the ribs.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A guide rail comprising an elongate base having a pair of ribs and a shoulder projecting outwardly therefrom, said shoulder terminating in a tip section, each of said pair of ribs having a substantially identical height and thickness, said pair of ribs being positioned in substantially parallel, spaced-apart relation so that a channel is defined therebetween and so that said shoulder is positioned adjacent one of said pair of ribs, wherein said channel has a width about equal to the thickness of said ribs and a depth about equal to the height of said ribs, and wherein said shoulder has a height about equal to the height of said ribs and a thickness about equal to the thickness of said ribs. 
     
     
       2. The guide rail of claim 1, wherein the thickness of each of the pair of ribs is tapered at each end of said guide rail. 
     
     
       3. The guide rail of claim 2, wherein the height of each pair of ribs is tapered at each end of said guide rail. 
     
     
       4. The guide rail of claim 3, wherein the thickness of the shoulder is tapered at each end of said guide rail. 
     
     
       5. The guide rail of claim 4, wherein the width of the shoulder is tapered at each end of said guide rail. 
     
     
       6. The guide rail of claim 1, wherein the guide rail comprises a polycarbonate material. 
     
     
       7. The guide rail of claim 6, wherein said polycarbonate material includes a lubricant. 
     
     
       8. The guide rail of claim 7, wherein said lubricant comprises PTFE. 
     
     
       9. The guide rail of claim 1, wherein each of said pair of ribs has a rounded tip portion. 
     
     
       10. A guide rail having a pair of ribs each of which has a substantially identical height and thickness and which is positioned in substantially parallel, spaced-apart relation so that a channel is defined therebetween, said guide rail further comprising a shoulder positioned adjacent one of said pair of ribs, said shoulder terminating in a tip section, wherein said channel has a width about equal to the thickness of said ribs and a depth about equal to the height of said ribs, and wherein said shoulder has a height about equal to the height of said ribs and a thickness about equal to the thickness of said ribs. 
     
     
       11. The guide rail of claim 10, wherein the guide rail comprises a polycarbonate material. 
     
     
       12. The guide rail of claim 11, wherein said polycarbonate material includes a lubricant. 
     
     
       13. The guide rail of claim 12, wherein said lubricant comprises PTFE. 
     
     
       14. The guide rail of claim 10, wherein each of said pair of ribs has a rounded tip portion. 
     
     
       15. A guide rail having an `F` -shaped cross-section such that a distance between each leg of the `F` is about equal to a width of a tail of the `F`, the tail of the `F` terminating in a tip section, wherein two of said guide rails can be positioned together in sliding relation so that the tail of one of said guide rails is slidably received between each of the legs of the other of said guide rails and so that one of the legs of one of said guide rails is slidably received between each of the legs of the other of said guide rails. 
     
     
       16. The guide rail of claim 15, wherein the guide rail comprises a polycarbonate material. 
     
     
       17. The guide rail of claim 16, wherein said polycarbonate material includes a lubricant. 
     
     
       18. The guide rail of claim 17, wherein said lubricant comprises PTFE. 
     
     
       19. The guide rail of claim 15, wherein each of said pair of legs has a rounded tip portion.